


No such thing as a fair fight

by eringeosphere



Series: They say he wandered very far [2]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: (Scamander Version), Brotherly Affection, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-02-19
Packaged: 2018-09-23 10:03:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9650948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eringeosphere/pseuds/eringeosphere
Summary: In which Newt and Theseus agree to a 'friendly exhibition duel', to round off a duelling tournament between the MACUSA and MoM Aurors and inadvertently terrify the majority of the Aurors and employees who turn up to watch.Also, Percival Graves might just get around to asking Newt out for dinner.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hah! It has begun! This is a direct continuation from 'It's always the quiet ones' and I'd recommend reading that one first, else this one will probably make not too much sense. Also my ability to come up with decent titles is once again non existent.
> 
> A brief warning that at some point in this story I will be describing blunt force injuries (Newt and Theseus aren't great at pulling their attacks) but will warn in the notes at the top of the relevant chapters, so please skip if that's not your thing!
> 
> Please enjoy, and if anyone spots any typos, please let me know - its somewhat late that I'm posting this!

Percival Graves stares down at the arena below him, where the two Scamander brothers appear to be doing their level best to take each other’s heads off. He’s known Theseus Scamander for years, exchanging letters frequently (and hadn’t that been an awful thing to discover, that Grindelwald had carried on his correspondence with Theseus during his imprisonment) and had witnessed the other man’s competence as Auror during the war. Theseus had mentioned Newt occasionally, but Percival had never actually met his best friend’s sibling until he’d been rescued. 

Newt had … not quite been what Graves had expected - quiet, content to blend into the background, never all that comfortable with meeting anyone’s eyes. 

He’s finding that image a little hard to reconcile with the man who just so resoundingly defeated Lovis, and is currently pushing Theseus Scamander harder than than anyone who’s duelled him previously in the tournament. Graves usually prides himself on his ability to adapt to new situations and appear calm and collected (even if he’s … somewhat less calm in reality), but right now he feels rather like someone hit him with a confundus charm that has yet to wear off.

The heavy weight of the younger Scamander’s coat in his arms helps reassure him that the past half hour has not been the result of some sort of hallucination. Graves suddenly notices a slight shifting in one of the pockets of the blue wooden coat. He eyes it warily - Merlin only knows what might find its way into the pockets of a magizooligist, particularly when that person is Newt. To his relief, the creature that emerges is the bowtruckle Newt had just collected from Tina. The creature must have crawled back into the coat pocket just before Theseus had apparated his brother away.

‘I apologise for the disturbance.’ Graves begins, feeling a little awkward addressing the bowtruckle, but also recalling the numerous times that Newt has talked to them as a sentiment being. Graves wishes that he could remember the name Newt had called them. The creature regards him imperiously from his perch on the top of Newt’s coat then appears to come to some decision. The bowtruckle climbs from Newt’s coat onto Grave’s sleeve and then up to his shoulder. Graves eyes the small green figure warily, but they appear content to sit on his shoulder and survey the proceedings from there. 

Graves turns back to the duel below, watching as Newt dives out of the way of one of his brother’s attacks, casts a spell that sounds rather like a firecracker going off. It distracts Theseus enough that he’s almost caught by Newt’s follow up stunning charm.

Theseus employs a fast chain of apparation to manoeuvre his way to the centre of the ring and casts a wide ranged low-level demolition spell.

Summers, who’s been commentating on and off throughout the duel, starts speaking again.

‘It would appear that Theseus has had enough of limiting damage to his surrounding, as he’s just torn up a rather large chunk of the floor and banished it towards Newt. In a space like this, it’s a simple enough move for Newt to apparate out of the way - but Theseus has predicted that move and has successfully hit him with a disarming charm. Not entirely sure where Newt’s wand has fallen from up here, and it looks like Newt isn’t sure either - so from now on Newt will be limited to his hand to hand combat skills to counter his brother’s attacks.’

Next to him, Goldstien has been joined by fellow auror Edwards, both of whom are surveying the growing amount of damage inflicted to the arena below expressions which are rather too close to admiration for Graves’ piece of mind. 

‘You know,’ Tina remarks thoughtfully, ‘I think I’m starting to understand why Newt is so proficient at repairing property damage.’

Miller, who has thus far refrained from commenting on the duel between her boss and his brother, tilts her head in Tina’s direction and replies, ‘One of the stipulations the Auror department insisted on when allowing the two of them to fight in the Ministry building was that the two of them had to be capable to repair any damage inflicted on their surroundings. I think that the worst damage they ever caused was when two of their spells collided and reacted badly. They somehow managed to melt a hole through the floor into the store room below the duelling ring and we never did get a straight answer as to what the two spells where which caused that effect.’

Graves makes a very firm mental note to never leave the Scamander brothers alone in a room together for the rest of their visit to New York. Tina glances sideways at him, and something of his thoughts must have shown in his face, as the corner of her mouth curves into an amused smile.

‘You should ask him to dinner.’ Goldstein says, entirely without warning, and Graves turns his head towards her so quickly that he almost gives himself whiplash.

‘What?’ Graves hisses, and most certainly does not surreptitiously check to see who might be listening to their conversation.

‘Newt. When you return his coat to him, ask him out to dinner.’ 

The glare Graves sends Tina’s way might have once had her fleeing for the door, but the whole fiasco with the Obscurial, Newt’s creatures getting loose and Grindelwald has done wonders for her self confidence.

Stiffly, Graves replies, 'I don’t see why returning a coat should necessitate an invitation to dinner.’ 

Tina has the audacity to roll her eyes at him. ’Queenie says if you wanted to keep your attraction for Newt a secret, you might not want broadcast your fondness for him every time he walks into the same room.’

… Graves is going to send both of the Goldstein sisters on the most boring, compulsory administration course he can possibly find, never mind the fact that Queenie isn’t technically part of the Auror department. 

‘Besides,’ Tina adds, ‘if you don’t make a move, it wouldn’t surprise me if Theseus starts considering the merits of staging an intervention.’

’Fine, Goldstein. I’ll ask him to dinner.’


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very glad to present this chapter to everyone - writing action scenes takes me quite a while, but people seem to be enjoying them so I wanted to give them the time that they deserved!
> 
> Hope everyone enjoys, please let me know if anyone spots any typos - my proof reading isn't always up to scratch :)
> 
> INJURY WARNING: - please skip to the end notes, as it contains mild spoilers, but for those who aren't comfortable with certain types of blunt force trauma, please read and apply your own discretion.
> 
> Minor edit: apparently I managed to miss the end of a sentence and the beginning of the next about half way down. *headdesk* Fixed now!

The disarming spell which successfully relieves Newt of his wand hits him with enough force to knock him backwards off of his feet - Theseus has a habit of overpowering his spells and the result is akin to being kicked in the chest. Newt turns him momentum into an an awkward roll back onto his feet and promptly apparates out of the way of a stunner, taking temporary refuge behind a piece of rubble. The shelter will only last as long as it takes for Theseus to apparate around the obstacle himself, or cast a wide-range spell.  

Newt is deeply regretting that he hadn’t had the chance to collect the Swooping Evil cocoon from Graves earlier. It would be exceedingly useful right about now. 

As he expects, the crack of an apparation from behind him heralds the arrival of his brother with a clear line of sight towards him. The gleeful expression on his brother’s face has Newt diving in the opposite direction, barely avoiding the object Theseus conjured to drop on him.

For an instant, the only thing that can be heard is a tortured shriek as a grand piano smashes where Newt was standing scant seconds earlier. The noise is impressive enough that Theseus temporarily halts his spell casting to look at the wreck of what had previously been a functioning musical instrument.

Newt stares in disbelief because _honestly Theseus -_  

‘Did you just try to drop a _piano_ on me?’ 

Theseus actually looks somewhat perturbed. ‘Not on purpose.’ He glances down at the wand in hand. ‘I’m not sure what went wrong there.’

‘Theseus, conjuring a grand piano is a fairly significant thing to go wrong.’ 

‘Well, I meant to conjure a wire-mesh enforced box, and I suppose a piano does have all the same components…’ 

Newt doesn’t buy it, but he’s got other things to worry about at present, as Theseus takes that moment to restart the duel.  

His sibling violently flings his wand arm out in the general motion required for a blasting hex and Newt takes full advantage of the oversized movement. Newt apparates to the outside of Theseus arm and launches a kick at the extended limb. The impact shocks the muscles in Theseus’ arm; his grip loosens and his wand flies out of hand. It skitters away and gets lost somewhere amongst the carcass of the grand piano and the rubble torn up out of the floor during the duel. Newt moves back out of immediate striking range.

Theseus grips his injured arm just below the elbow, flexing the fingers carefully, his body angled to keep the limb slightly away from Newt. Seeming to decide that the injury is minor, Theseus relaxes his grip on his limb and eyes Newt warily. 

Newt waits. He knows that his brother has far less patience than he does. Sure enough, Theseus closes the distance between them in a short burst of apparation and swings a fist towards Newt’s stomach. Newt blocks and counters, which misses its target as Theseus jerks his head sideways. Newt follows his first strike with second that makes contact just below Theseus’ ribcage - but Theseus had already begun to move backwards and the impact from the strike is less than Newt would like. Newt ducks the returning hook punch and aims a low kick at Theseus’ leg, who yelps as Newt’s boot connects with the outside of his left knee.

Theseus disapparates out of range, reappearing half hidden behind a pile of broken floorboards and bricks. Newt follows his apparation, sliding low and attempting to swipe his brother’s legs out from underneath him. Theseus jumps over Newt, who rolls back upright and whirls around to disapparate out of the way of a kick aimed at his ribs. 

Newt reappears behind his brother and catches Theseus around his waist, apparates both of them slightly into the air and twists Theseus towards the ground. Newt can’t see his brother’s face, but he’s not imagining the panicked spike of Theseus’ magic as he hastily casts a wandless cushioning charm. It's likely the only thing that stops Theseus from breaking part of his spine when they impact the floor. 

Newt attempts to pin his brother down, but in addition to being older than him, Theseus also has the advantage of bulk. Theseus gets a knee between them and pushes Newt off. Newt rolls away, takes a glancing blow to his ribs before finding his feet. He just about brings his hands up into a guard position to stop a series of mid level punches as his brother falls back on his boxing training. The impacts send him reeling. For a split second his guard slips. His brother takes full advantage, driving a punch into Newt’s throat.  

Newt staggers backwards, tries to take a breath in - fails and chokes. He makes a short apparation jump backwards to try to keep out of Theseus’ immediate attack range. Spots dance in front of his eyes when he lands and he half falls into an inconveniently positioned pile of rubble. Newt gasps, succeeds in drawing in a small amount of air.  There’s a faint flicker of movement at the corner of his sightline and Newt moves on instinct. 

Newt lunges upwards with a looping left hand strike towards his brother’s head. Theseus moves his head backwards - but the first move is a feint, and Theseus’ head isn’t far enough away to avoid the second. The brick in Newt’s right hand, picked up from amongst the heap of debris moments earlier, gives Newt the extra few centimetres of reach he needs. The brick makes an awful cracking noise as it hits Thesues’ temple and Theseus drops like a stone.

Newt eyes the sprawled form of his brother with trepidation - it would not be the first time that his brother has feigned unconsciousness on him, but the way that he fell would suggest otherwise. Cautiously he pokes his brother with the toe of his boot. No response. Newt glances down at the brick in his right hand, notices the faint reddish splatters of blood coating the edge and drops it on reflex. Newt drops into a crouch and places a hand on his brother’s chest. Relief flood his veins when he feels the steady up and down movement of Theseus’ diaphram, leaving him light headed. 

Newt sits down heavily, lifting a hand to his throat and rubbing small circles in the muscles. He still doesn’t quite feel like he’s getting enough air, but after half a dozen controlled, calm breath, he can feel his heart rate start to lower. Newt waves a hand idly and summon his and his brother’s wand. Next to him, Theseus lets out a low groan and his eyelids flutter slightly.

Newt peers at his sibling’s face. 

‘Theseus?’ he asks - or rather, tries to. What actually comes out is nothing more than a faint rasping noise, accompanied by a sharp pain in his throat. Newt grimaces and stops trying to talk.

Instead, he settles for gently placing a hand on Theseus’ head. The weight is enough to register somewhere in his brother's subconscious, who stirs and opens his eyes. Newt waits to remove his hand from his brother's forehead until his brother succeeds on focusing his gaze on Newt's face. After a moment's pause, Theseus sits up cautiously, bringing a hand to his head. His fingers come back slightly red stained and he squints at Newt through what is probably the start of a killer headache. 

‘A brick, Newt? Really?’

Newt shrugs and gestures towards his throat. Even without words, his brother gets his meaning.

‘Ah. Voice box impaired, then. Fair enough retaliation.’ Theseus pauses and Newt can see the cogs work. ‘That would explain why you’re not insisting on running the diagnostic spells yourself. Little tricky to do wordlessly.’

Newt nods. Pauses, then twirls a finger at Theseus’ head for emphasis. 

Theseus looks offended. ‘My head is screwed on perfectly fine, thank you very much.' 

Newt waves a half-hearted apology, then offers Theseus' wand back to him, hilt first. Theseus accepts it and slips it back into its holster. Newt gets his feet underneath him and carefully stands upright. His balance seems reasonable, so he offers a hand to his brother, who accepts it gratefully. Theseus sways slightly once back on his feet, but steadies himself on Newt’s shoulder. Newt pats the hand resting on his shoulder and switches his wand to his right hand.

‘You’re sure?’ Theseus asks. ‘I’d help clear it up, but with my headache I’m not entirely sure I wouldn’t make it worse.’

Newt nods firmly. The amount of practice he’s had repairing structural damage means that performing the repairs wandlessly is no hardship. 

First up, however, is a spell to dematerialise the wreck of the grand piano. Following that, Newt moves his wand in a slow, sweeping arc, willing the brickwork, plaster and floorboards back into the correct positions. Building materials whirl through the air as if caught in a tornado, slotting back into the floor. The last board settles into place with a faint click, and Newt ends the spell. 

Theseus squeezes his shoulder, murmuring ‘Nice job.’ 

Newt flicks a brief smile at him, then gestures in the direction of the arched doorway which leads out of the arena. 

Theseus sighs. ‘Suppose you’re right.’

The two of them begin to make their slightly wobbly way out towards the exit, Theseus keeping up the verbal end of a slightly one-sided conversation. Newt keeps half an eye on his brother as they go - head wounds always did have the tendency to make Theseus talk more than usual. The Scamander brothers reach the doorway and pause briefly.

Newts gaze slides across to meet his brother's eyes. They exchange wry smiles. 

'Ready to be accosted by MACUSA's medical staff?' Theseus asks.

 Newt huffs a silent laugh, then reaches across and gives his brother a gentle shove through the door frame, before stepping through himself. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> INJURY WARNING: Essentially, during the duel one of the Scamander brothers gets hit in the throat, the other is hit very hard on the head with a brick. 
> 
> If you wish to avoid the sections with the descriptions of the attacks which result in those injuries, then you can skip the paragraphs following the end of the sentence:  
> 'Theseus jumps over Newt, who rolls back upright and whirls around to disapparate out of the way of a kick aimed at his ribs.'  
> and start reading again with the paragraph that begins with 'Newt eyes the sprawled form of his brother with trepidation', at which point the duel has concluded.


End file.
